Exclusive: Message Of Support From Slain Officer's Family
MIAMI SPRINGS (CBS4) - One week to the day after their daughter and a fellow Miami-Dade Police officer were gunned down by a career criminal, the family of fallen officer Amanda Haworth has delivered a tender, heart-felt message of support to two other families in St. Petersburg who suffered a similar fate.
"We called CBS4 because we wanted to take the time to deliver this message to them," said a grieving Bob Haworth, who lost his 44-year-old daughter known as "Mandy" in last Thursday's shooting.
Sitting on the living room couch beside photos of his daughter and her 13-year-old son, Austin, Bob Haworth told CBS4's Peter D'Oench in an exclusive interview, "we'd just like to offer our heartfelt sympathy in the loss of their loved ones like we lost Amanda and we know how they are feeling."
Bob and Diane Haworth, Amanda's step-mother, have reached out to the families of 38-year-old officer Jeff Yaslowitz, a father of three, and 48-year-old Sgt. Thomas Baitinger. They were shot and killed Monday when they tried to roust a fugitive, Hydra Lacy Jr., from an attic of a St. Petersburg apartment. Lacy was also killed.
"We just feel so sorry and we want them to know that the police officers have taken care of us and will take care of them and we are just sorry for their loss," said Bob Haworth.
"We know there are no words that anyone can say that will take away their pain," said Diane Haworth. "But we want them to know that we will be there for them always, even if it just to sit and listen. We know that the outreach that we have seen for us has meant so much. We know that it has meant a lot, not just for the yesterdays but for the tomorrows to come. And they are going to need, we are going to need each other."
"It breaks our heart," said Amanda's father. "Our hearts are broken and now they are broken even more, that the police officers can't do their jobs without being shot and killed. We don't know why this happened, but it was God's plan and he will ease the pain eventually."
They'll never forget the show of support during Monday's memorial service for their daughter and Officer Roger Castillo who was also killed when they went to apprehend Johnny Simms.
"We are truly blessed," said Diane Haworth.
"When we were traveling down the Palmetto," said Bob Haworth, "to see all those people saluting Amanda and Roger Castillo with their hands over their hearts. Words can't even describe it anymore. And the children we saw in the playground, it's heart wrenching."
"And everything that she did," said Diane Haworth, "every day, to go and make a difference in the world, just wasn't with us, but she shared this with everyone. And we don't know why this happened or why the Lord takes away our loved ones, but I do know that one day we will understand. I don't know when the pain will go away, but we have to be proud that we were part of a well-lived life that was so loving and giving."
"We stay strong through our faith," said Bob Haworth. "Diane and I are devout Christians and we know the lord is with them and we know the lord is with us and we know the lord will eventually ease their pain and we have to stay within the lord. We don't know why this happened but it was God's plan and he will ease the pain eventually."
The Haworths said they were touched by Tuesday's fundraiser for the families and they mentioned a homeless man who came by the gathering.
"He reached into his pocket and put in two quarters," said Bob Haworth, as his voice broke. "His last two quarters and that is what touched us. It was so unbelievable."
D'Oench asked the Haworths if they felt the court system and its judges had been too lenient in allowing Simms, a career criminal, to be allowed out of jail, despite his many offenses.
"I understand the judges' positions and I've sat as a juror many times," said Diane Haworth. "And I'm not sure what happened at that time. There could have been many things that happened and many reasons that they made the decisions that they did. I can't fault them, but of course we wish he was off the street."
The Haworths told D'Oench that too many people have easy access to guns.
"We don't like guns," said Diane Haworth. "The kids weren't raised even with play guns in the house. Mandy, of course, had her play gun and she was, well we always asked her about it. But the people that have guns, some of them are the wrong people that have guns."
Haworth's life partner, Rosie Diaz, also spoke to CBS4 News and said she vows to protect the community as a police officer.
"As hard as this is for us each day that we wake up and go to bed at night, we will everyday of our lives from here on in, make sure that these kids know that the community is good and that they need our protection, and that is the reason we took the oath that we took," said Diaz.
